Imagine training for months, maybe years, to win a race, only to have your victory stripped away because your pacers slowed down near the finish line.

Sounds weird.

But that’s exactly what happened to He Jie, a top Chinese runner, at the Beijing Half Marathon.

He Jie’s medals and prize money were revoked after an investigation revealed that three African runners, hired as pacemakers, slowed down just before the finish line to let him cross first.

I mean technically they didn’t do anything wrong.

The controversy has sparked outrage and debate among fans and officials.

So, what’s the big deal?

In competitive racing, pacers are common.

They help maintain a steady pace and support the main competitors.

But there’s a catch.

Pacers are supposed to drop out before the finish line.

In this case, the pacemakers were registered as competitors, which created an appearance of corruption.

The race committee blamed the sponsor, Xtep, for this blunder and apologized profusely.

He Jie didn’t declare his pacers, which is a technicality.

Yes, it’s against the rules, but does it justify stripping him of his win?

After all, he ran the entire race and completed it legitimately.

Who cares if the other runners slowed down?

On the flip side, rules are rules.

And in sports, especially at the elite level, fairness is paramount.

Allowing this to slide could set a dangerous precedent, where race outcomes can be manipulated.

The integrity of the sport is at stake.

He’s disqualification might seem harsh, it’s about maintaining a level playing field for all competitors.

But why did He Jie make such a mistake?

No clue.

Might have been an honest blunder.

Chinese marathoners have indeed entered the global stage, and are getting better each year.

The Chinese dominated a lot of sports like Table tennis, badminton, weight-lifting and gymnastics.

When they started taking basketball seriously, they had Yao Ming.

When they started taking track and field seriously, they had Su Bing Tian.

When they started taking swimming seriously, they had Sun Yang.

Don’t sleep on the Chinese.

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Did He Jie do anything wrong?

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